The Netflix series Maid examines the story of a woman learning her self-worth by fighting for it.
By: Monae' Leo
The show Maid gives us insight into what it is like to be a single mother living in poverty. It shows a single mother dealing with homelessness and poverty. Alex struggled with making a living to support her daughter Maddy. She experienced forms of homelessness due to the lack of resources, a good support system, and a living income. She did not have a good family support system that could help her with things like a place to live and childcare. The series shows us all of the obstacles Alex experiences on her way to making a better life. Maid shows that red tape can make it difficult for people to get help from the government. They often have to have things like an address and a job to get help when they are trying to get help with homelessness and a job. It does not seem to make sense. In addition, Alex used her struggle to build a better life. She made it her mission to seek help from the government by securing a job as a house cleaner for a low-income company which wasn't enough to keep her up float. The series Maid shows Alex constantly working day by day while having to struggle to make a dollar. Although she is working, her pay is not reflective of her pay. Alex eventually seems to forget about her well-being in her desire to make money to take care of her family. This leads to health problems.
During one of her cleaning jobs, Alex was so lightheaded from working hard and not eating that she passed out on the job. Alex has little to no help with taking care of her daughter. She is physically and mentally drained but she cannot take time out for herself. She is determined to do anything for her daughter. Alex’s daily life is a core insight into the struggle to uphold motherhood while having nothing. Alex also experienced sleeping in a ferry station with her daughter simply because she had nowhere to go. Examples like these are shown constantly throughout this film of the hardships mothers living in poverty or who are homeless face, to keep their children by their side, since a system that is built to help inquires much to be copacetic. The lack of support from the government along with not having any emotional or physical support from family is the main reason that not only Alex struggle while raising her daughter alone, but why other mothers do too. Having nothing but their children is what keeps these women pushing but it’s not enough and not fair due to the negative impacts it has on their mental health.
Maid came out in 2021 based on a memoir by Stephanie Land. It shows Alex halfway navigating her writing career but being completely thrown off or put in a box by her partner and other relationships in her life. The struggle of single mothers to provide for their children makes individuals wonder if it’s possible to have a better life. Living in the United States is hard without emotional or physical support. A support system is key for single mothers. It can be stressful when a single mother doesn’t know how to navigate through the bureaucracy or cannot meet certain requirements for assistance. Families with two parents may have it easier because the parents can rely on each other. That does not mean that they do not struggle. They may be below the poverty line but they can share the burden of child care and other expenses. “Women earn 82 cents for every dollar a man earns.” www.dol.gov This is even true when women have the same amount of education or skills as men. For women with limited education and skills, it can be difficult to find a job with a living wage. Many jobs that single mothers do not pay a living wage. This works to keep them below the poverty level. Single mothers are expected to do whatever they can for their children. Therefore when placed in troubling times like domestic abuse, poverty, physical and mental abuse, what’s even more significant about Alex's journey in Maid is her learning to invest in herself.
Struggle between being a parent & provide
The television show Maid goes in-depth on the impact single mothers endure throughout their daily life. According to The Other America: African American Women Living in Poverty." Race, Gender & Class “Even though the study is decades old, today’s U.S. Census report, the federal minimum wage, and U.S. poverty rate all support those findings. At this time, the federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour”(Randle, Brenda A., and Sandra L. Combs, Apr. 2022). The source also shares light on how households of never-married mothers experience ongoing poverty and are longer welfare recipients. This is very equivalent to what the main character Alex witnessed as a “House cleaner” for a small company. Another source that gives valuable information on this problem is Work and Welfare Among Single Mothers in Poverty which examines the relationship between work and welfare in poor, female-headed families by tracing the process through which single mothers work their way off welfare (Harris, Kathleen Mullan, 21 Apr. 2022). In Maid, Alex used to run late picking her daughter Maddy up from daycare because it was hard to balance being a parent and working long hours. This put a huge strain on her mental as well as physical health. In addition, the article Work, Welfare, and Single Mothers’ Economic Survival Strategies mention that “They also have neglected the fundamental economic reality of these mothers' lives-neither welfare nor low-wage work gives single mothers enough income to meet their families' expenses” (Edin, Kathryn, and Laura Lein, 21 Apr. 2022). This was a challenge for Alex because in the second episode she couldn’t afford to buy enough groceries without going over the original amount she had.
Putting yourself first is not selfish
Furthermore, Alex was never the type of individual to stray away from what she is accustomed to, just like her mother Paula. She played a tremendous effect on how Alex navigates her way through life. Paula was never a good mother figure to look up to because both were struggling despite her effort in trying. So now this puts Alex in an uncomfortable situation where she has to fight to survive. In the last episode, Alex packed all her belongings and drove straight to Montana to start her new life as a college student in writing. This was a breakthrough of a lifetime for her to enjoy. At this moment of relief, Alex thought of what was better for her along with Maddy's mental health. In the article, The Ending of 'Maid,' Explained said “ it narrates her and Maddy's trip to Missoula, where she and Maddy hike up Sentinel Mountain and look over their new town”(Quinci LeGardye, 18, 2021). This shows exactly how Alex was ready to embark on her new journey. Despite all her struggles, Alex still was able to generate a new path for herself.
Complicating evidence
Some may say the familiar help that Alex received from her child’s father she eventually refused to take, which put her in the predicaments she was in. On top of that, they will argue that she could’ve left her daughter with her mom, however, Alex’s mother was not stable and did not have her own home either, so leaving her daughter with her mother is no different than leaving her daughter home by herself. With her child’s father, he was using Mandy as a scapegoat to keep Alex around and not working, and he was an abuser. Leaving Maddy with a man who will neglect her was not an option for Alex, so when she ran away she had to do her best to support Maddy alone. In addition, to others, that is the most valuable part of Alex's life but viewers definitely overlook how Alex was able to overcome all of that. Throughout all her choices when it came to herself and Maddy, she put them first. Therefore, now that I’ve shared the light on the daily struggles of single motherhood, it is evident that when placed in troubling times like domestic abuse, poverty, physical and mental abuse, what’s even more significant about Alex's journey in Maid is her learning to invest in herself.
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